America quickly rethinking homeland defense systems

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration and Congress are scrambling to shore up major weaknesses in planning and coordination of national defenses after last week's terrorist attacks.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday that the administration was taking the necessary steps to ensure the defense of U.S. territory.

In the last two years, advisory commissions on terrorism and national security have pointed to the need to rethink homeland defense. The studies were prompted by worries about threats of unconventional attacks on the country.

Not much has come of those recommendations, and that inaction must bear some responsibility for last week's defense failures, said former Sen. Gary Hart, chairman of the U.S. Commission on National Security in the 21st Century.

Part of the confusion regarding homeland defense is constitutional. The regular military is barred from "police work" or military actions within the states except in times of national insurrection, like the Civil War.

The National Guard -- citizen soldiers -- has the task of military defense within the national boundaries.